The present disclosure relates generally to scintillation detectors and, more particularly, to thermal protection for scintillation detectors.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Scintillation detectors are employed in a variety of settings to detect nuclear and electromagnetic radiation. In the presence of such radiation, a scintillator crystal may produce detectable wavelengths of light. This light may be converted to an electrical signal by a light detection device, such as a photomultiplier tube, and the electrical signal may be subsequently analyzed to determine, for example, an amount of detected radiation. By way of example, scintillation detectors may assist in the indirect determination of formation lithology by detecting gamma-ray scattering in a subterranean formation, as well as the direct determination of the formation lithology by detecting neutron-induced gamma-rays caused by neutrons emitted into the subterranean formation.
When scintillation detectors are employed for downhole well-logging, the scintillator crystals of such scintillation detectors may be subjected to a rapid increase or decrease in temperature due to heat from the surrounding formation. Certain scintillation detectors, such as NaI(Tl) detectors, may operate correctly at temperatures up to 200° C. without any protection. Many new scintillation materials, such as LaBr3:Ce and LaCl3:C, among others, may function at temperatures even beyond 200° C. Many of the new scintillation materials, however, while capable of operating at a very high temperature, may tend to crack or shatter if heated or cooled too rapidly.